Circuit-interrupter.



J. N. MAHONEY.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATIONIILED AUG. 11. 1913.

Patented May 1, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MAHONEY, or wILxrNsBUne, PENNSYLVANIA, AssreNon 'ro WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMP NY, A conronArIoN or PENNSYL-'VANIA.

cmcurT-mrsnnu'rrnn.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn N. MAHONEY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Willn'nsbur in the county of A1legheny and State 0Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inOircuit-Interrupters, of f which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to circuit interrupters and particularly to contactmembers for oil-insulated circuit breakers.

The object of my invention is to provide contact members having jawswhich are self-alining and upon which there is an initial tension beforecontact is made.

Since the contact terminals of oil-insulated circuit ,breakers of theusual types are not self-alining. when moved into and out of engagement,such apparatus is defective to that extent.

My invention provides a selfalin means and also springs which exert animtial'tension upon the contact pieces to cause from shock or jar.

a resilient action when the contact pieces come together and to relievethe insulators I also provide arcing contact terminals which prevent themain contact faces from becoming pitted. I also provide a stop for thecontacts which determines their initial position and tension. In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a contact memberembodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the lineII-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig. '1. Fig.4'is a fragmentary in elevation and end view of the contact member shownin Fig. 1 in its open position, shown partially partially in section,and Fig. 5, is a side 716W of a circu t breaker wherein is incorporatedmy. invention, shown partially in elevation and partially in section.

Referring to the figures, my inventlon 1s embodied in a circuit breaker1 compris ng an operating mechanism 2, a tripping mechanism 3,oil-containing compartments 4, and terminals 5. The contact members 6and 7 are immersed in oil 8 in the compartments 4. y p

The movable contact members 7 comprising solid pieces of metal 9 oftruncated triangular form in cross section, are connected together by abase 10 and webs 11. Fas- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

Application filed August 11, 1918. Serial No. 784,088.

tened to base 10-is an operating lever 12.

Projections 13 .on the base 10 support are.

and a cylindrical portion 1 threaded at its' upper end 18 for thepurpose of screwin it .into a terminal 5. Around. the cylindrlcalportion of the bar 15 are placed insulating tubes 19 and 20. Tube 20supports tube 19 and is itself supported by the lower portion 16 of themetal bar 15. To each side of the portion 16 is fastened, by bolts 21, aresilient flat conductor 22 having an indentation 23. On top ofconductor 22 is a very thin pliable steel strip 24 and on top of this isplaced a relatively stifi' steel strip 25 havng a bearin point 26 on itslower end. On the under si e of portion 16 is attached, b

screws 27 a spring-like structure 28 of stee which has bearing points 29directly opposite the bearing points 26 on the steel strips 25. To thelower end of the conducting strip 22 and the strip 24' are attachedcon-j tact pieces 30 having an upper portion cut away.

The stationary arcing contact member comprises a. projecting structure31 having a plunger 32 capable of moving latera therein under thetension of a spring 33.

A flexible conductor 34 connects the plunger 32 to a clip terminal 35 onthe portion 16 of the stationary contact members 6.

When the circuit is open, the conducting strip 22 and the strip 24 restagainst the contact point 29, under the pressure of the contact point26, and, with this initial pressure on it, the contact pieces 30 assumea position that is in direct alinement with the movable contact member9. When'the movable contact member 9 is moved upward, it en ages thecontactv pieces 30 and distri utesits force in such direction that itsmain component is in]; line normal to its contact planes and passingthrough. the point 26, thereby not stressing the'alining strip 24, sincethe still? steelstrip 25 is provided for dissi ating the externalforces.

My contact evice may be "made without the arcing contact member 32 andma have as many units or sections as will furnish the correct contactareas.

While, as here shown, my invention' is of any size within the scope ofthe appended claims.

I clalm as my 1nvent1on:' 1. A contact devlce for clrcuit interrupterscomprising a resiliently supported contact member and resilient meanshaving bearing points that engage the resilient support on oppositesides under normal conditions. I

2. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a contactmember, a flexible support therefor and means having bearing points forengaging the flexible support on opposite sides under normal conditions.i

3. In a contact making device, the combination with a movable member, ofa stationary member, contact or bearing parts for said stationarymember,means for suspending said contact parts, resilient means disposed atsubstantially opposite points on each side of the suspending means foralining the contact parts of the stationary member with the said movablemember.

4:. In a contact making device, the combination with a movable member,of a stationary member, contact fingers for the stationary member, meansfor suspending the contact fin ers, resilient means disposed atsubstantial y opposite points on each, side of the suspending means foralining the contact fingers of the stationary member with the movablemember and for exerting a tension on the suspending means when thecontact fingers and the movable member are separated.

. 5. In a contact making device, the combination with a movable member,of a. sta-. tionary member, contact fingers for the stationary member, aflexible conductor and a relatively thin strip of metal for suspendinthe contact fingers, resilient means disposed ,at substantially oppositeoints on each side of the suspending means or alining the con- .tactfingers of the stationary member with the movable member and forexerting a tension on the thin metal strip when the contact fingers andthe movable member are separated.

6. In a circuit interrupter, the combina tion with an operatingmechanism and m0vable contact members, of a stationary base member,stationary contact members, resilient means for connectin saidstationary contact members to said %ase member, and resilient bearingmembers having bearing points thereon for engaging the resilientconnecting means at substantially opposite points.

7. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a resilientlysupported contact member, and resilient means bearing on substantiallyopposite points on both sides thereof under normal conditions.

8. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising resilientlysupported contact members, resilient means for bearing on substantiallyopposite points on both sides of said contact members, and a movablecontact member for engaging said resiliently supported contact members.

9. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a stationarymember, stationary contact members having an u per portion thereof cutaway, resilient con ucting strips connected to said stationary memberand to the lower portion of said stationary contact members, innerresilient bearing members disposed between the cut away portion of saidstationary contact members and said resilient conducting strips, andouter bearing members for bearing on the outer portion of saidconducting strips at points opposite the bearing points of said\ innerbearing members.

10. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a stationarymember, a movable member, contact members for said stationary member,flexible conductors connected to said stationary member and to saidcontact members, resilient strips of metal attached to said stationarymember and bearing on the outer side of said flexible conductors, aresilient U-shaped metal strip attached to said stationary member havingbearin points on the ends thereof that enage 516 inner sides of saidflexible conuctor at points opposite to the bearing points of saidresilient strips of metal.

11. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a stationarymember, a

movable member, contact members for said stationary member, flexibleconductors and resilient metal str1ps for suspending said contactmembers from said stationary member, relatively stifi' resilient metalstrips having bearing points mounted thereon, said strips being attachedto said stationary member and bearin on said resilient metal stri sthrou h sai bearing points, and a resi ient U- aped metal strip attachedto said stationary member and having bearing points thereon for engagingthe inner side of said flexible conductors.

12. A contact device for circuit interrupters' com rising a base,contact members, flexible con uctors connected to said base and to saidcontact members, relatively stifi resilient members mounted on said baseand havin bearing points thereon for engaging said exible conductors,and resilient members havingbearing points attached thereto for engaginthe flexible conductors on the opposite si e from the bearing pointsattached to said relatively stiff resilient mem- 13. A contact devicefor circuit interrupters comprising a base, contact members, flexibleconductors and resilient metal strips connected to said base and to saidcontact members, resilient bearing members mounted on said base andhavlng bearing polnts thereon for engaging the resilient metal strip,and resilient members attached to said base and having bearin'g pointsthereon for engaging the said flexible conductors on points directlyopposite the bearing points attached to said resilient members.

, 14. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a base,contact members, flexible conductors connected to said base and to saidcontact members, and resilient bearing members having bearing pointsthereon for engaging the said flexible conductors on opposite sidesthereof.

15. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a contactmember having an upper portion cut away, a resilient support thereforattached to the lower portion thereof and means for normally engagingthe resilient support on opposite sides thereof at a point adjacent thecut-away portion.

16. A contact device for circuit interrupters comprising a contactmember, a stationary base member, resilient means for supporting thecontact member from the base member and means for permitting the contactmember to turn about two .pivotal points disposed on opposite sides ofthe said resilient supporting means.

17. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with an operatingmechanism and movable contact members, of a stationary base member,stationary contact members, resilient means for connecting thestationary contact members to the base member, and means for permittingthe stationary contact members to turn about two pivotal points disposedon opposite sides of the said resilient connecting means for alining thestationary contact members with the movable contact member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th dayof July, 1913.

JOSEPH N. MAI-IONEY. Witnesses:

B. B. Hmns, M. C. ,MERZ.

